A Tale of Waiting.

I went out to Tan Hill Tavern to (hopefully) catch the front runners on this years Winter SPINE Race 2026. Unfortunately, nature, and more accurately injury, had other plans.

I had arrived at 9:30am on the morning Eugeni Rosello Sole and James Nobles were expected to pass through Tan Hill Tavern checkpoint, only to discover they wouldn’t be turning up until the afternoon at the earliest. OOPS.

I got the camera and the drone out and snapped away for a few pictures of the desolate Pennines landscape. My first time at Tan Hill Tavern and in the Pennines filled me with excitement to one day (hopefully soon) take on the SPINE race events for myself.

I waited, and made my “bed” in a ditch along the pathway I knew they would use. Eugeni was moving, but slowly, and James Nobles had seemed to have stopped a bit further back than Eugeni. Intriguing.

As time went by, I chatted to SPINE safety team staff about why I was there, that I was seeking to grab some images for both MONTANE and VOOM Nutrition, as James Nobles was an athlete of both brands.

Suddenly, Eugeni appears over the horizon, with a spring in his step and a smile on his face (rare apparently). I was awe inspired seeing him fly through, in and out of the checkpoint like a man on a mission, AFTER running over 120 miles.

So, front runner down and James Nobles to go, the reason I was there in the first place. An hour went by, and no sign of his movement, so, I decided to hunt him down along the Pennine Way. I drove further into the valley and pulled up along a side road where I knew I would be ahead of him. I found two members of the SPINE safety team who were concerned over his lack of movement, and who had just been passed by James Nobles own media team. I had been informed he was struggling with his feet, and using the opportunity to get some needed rest in the hope this would help rejuvenate him.

I waited and waited nearby to see if there was any movement coming through. When darkness fell I knew it wouldn’t be happening, so I headed off home after a long day of waiting. Better luck next time I guess!

I was then saddened to hear that so close to the finish, Eugeni had also dropped. It was a complete shock to me as when Eugeni passed me, I was certain I had been passed by the winner of this year’s event.

Congratulations to Sebastien Raichon. The tortoise does indeed beat the hare.